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In 1988 the musical climate was changing, veering to a more dance-based groove. Duran Duran were known primarily as an early 80s new wave synth-pop act, and the band was sitting at a career crossroads; Big Thing was their stab at maintaining musical credibility.

Turning to more synth- and bass-heavy grooves than their previous efforts, Big Thing was seen by many as the band's "house music" album. Tracks like the first single "I Don't Want Your Love", the title track, and the album's runaway second single "All She Wants Is" cemented the band's more aggressive dance angle.

To further distance themselves from their earlier incarnation, the band decided to stylise how they spelt their name, shortening it to the single word "Duranduran" and vocalist Simon Le Bon grew his hair out.

Dance music and stylist respellings aside, Big Thing was an album of contrasts. While the general feel was a response to the burgeoning house music and rave scene, a number of tracks on the album harked back to the band's more lushly arranged ballads. Songs like "Land", "Palomino" and the single "Do You Believe in Shame?" had more in common with "Save a Prayer" or "The Seventh Stranger" than with Chicago house.

The album also contains two short pieces entitled "Interlude One" and "Flute Interlude" which were more experimental in nature than anything the band had done before.

The album was eventually reissued on CD with the original Daniel Abraham mix of "Drug" added as a bonus track.

Guitarist Warren Cuccurullo had begun working with Duran Duran in the middle of the recording of the previous album Notorious (1986), after the acrimonious departure of former guitarist Andy Taylor. While he was still not a full band member, nor a true songwriting partner, Big Thing was the first full album with which Cuccurullo was involved. His contributions can be felt all over the record, from the "lead vamp guitar" on "All She Wants Is" to the crazed guitar solo on album closer "Lake Shore Driving".

While the album and the first two singles did quite well in the charts, the relative failure of the third single "Do You Believe In Shame?" killed off any chance for a fourth single from the album. A house version of Drug" which had been recorded with producer Marshall Jefferson in April 1989 had been tentatively slated as that single.